In this companion to Baking with Cookie Molds, Anne L.
Near the end of December is the w.
Nicholas himself.
My husband, Aaron Shepard, is a children\'s author, and his children\'s storybook The Baker\'s Dozen is about a baker who learns a lesson of generosity from St.
Nicholas Cookies that originally sparked my own interest in molded cookies.
It was St.
Nicholas is not well-known, but he was a real person who performed great acts of generosity and kindness.
The story of St.
Nicholas Eve with molded Cookies in the shape of the saint with his horse or donkey -- some Cookie Molds show one, some the other.
On December 5, we celebrate St.
The merchants of Friday Harbor help drive away the dark with a competition to decorate their shop fronts.
I have a tiny model village I put on the mantel for Christmas, and it usually stays for most of the winter.
There are decorations, too.
Many homeowners on the island put up Christmas lights, of course, doubly welcome outside the town limits, where there are no streetlights.
This is the time of year when many cultures have celebrations to drive away the dark -- Christmas, with all its lights and its star
Hanukkah, the festival of lights
Kwanzaa
Santa Lucia; midwinter festivals in several cultures; and many others throughout history.
The sun comes up, far in the south, long after breakfast, and it sets long before dinner.
And the days are so short.
The trees are bare, but we bundle up in layer upon layer of coats and sweaters.
Snow is a possibility every morning, and frost is a certainty. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE DECEMBER HOLIDAYS It\'s cold now, here on San Juan Island.
Anne now lives in Bellingham, Washington.
In a previous career, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant.
Watson is the author of Baking with Cookie Molds, as well as a number of Other popular books on home crafts and lifestyle, plus many novels. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Anne L.
With nearly 150 photos of molds, cookies, and processes, Cookie Molds Around the Year features new techniques and new recipes, along with a month-by-month diary of the seasons on San Juan Island, Watson\'s home.
Watson presents Cookies and Molds for many holidays and all seasons, as well as for special interests and occasions -- weddings, kids, storytelling Around the fireplace, and much more.
In this companion to Baking with Cookie Molds, Anne L
